Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-10.Consider this: whoever sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do
as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover,
God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: "He scatters abroad, he gives
to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." The one who supplies seed to the sower and
bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Psalms 112(111):1-2.5-6.7-8.9.

Hallelujah! Happy are those who fear
the LORD, who greatly delight in God's commands. Their descendants shall be mighty in the land,
generation upright and blessed. All goes well for those gracious in lending, who conduct their
affairs with justice. They shall never be shaken; the just shall be remembered forever.

They shall not fear an ill report; their hearts are steadfast, trusting the LORD. Their
hearts are tranquil, without fear, till at last they look down on their foes. Lavishly they give
to the poor; their prosperity shall endure forever; their horn shall be exalted in honor.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12:24-26.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a
grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it
produces much fruit.Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also
will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the
ChurchSermon 329, for the Feast of the Martyrs, 1-2 ; PL 38, 1454 (trans.
Breviary)

"If it dies, it produces much
fruit"

Through the glorious achievements of the holy martyrs
with which the Church blossoms everywhere, we are ourselves proving to our own eyes how true are the
words we have been singing that: «Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints» (Ps
116[115],15). For it is precious both in our sight and in the sight of him in whose name the death
took place.

But the price of those deaths is the death of one man. How many deaths did that
one man purchase by his death, for, if he had not died, the grain of corn would not be multiplied?
You heard his words when he drew near to his passion, that is when he was drawing near to our
redemption, «Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it
dies, it bears much fruit.» On the cross he carried out a vast transaction; there the purse of our
price was unfastened and when his side was opened by the lance of the soldier there streamed the
price for the redemption of the whole earth (cf. Jn 19,34).

Now the faithful ones and martyrs
have been purchased, but the faithfulness of the martyrs has been proved: their blood is the
proof... «As Christ laid down his life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren»
(1Jn 3,16). In another place it is stated: «At a grand table you have sat; now carefully consider
what has been put before you, since it is your duty to prepare for such things» (cf. Prv 23,1). That
table is great where the Lord of the table is himself the meal. No one feeds guests with himself as
food, but this is exactly what the Lord Christ does; he himself is the host who in­vites; he himself
is the food and the drink. Therefore, the martyrs have recognized what they were eating and
drink­ing so as to be able to repay such gifts.

But whence can they make such return unless he
who first paid the cost supplies the source from which restitu­tion may be made? That is the reason
for the Psalm, where we sing what is written: «Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his
saints.»

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